Clarification from the agency

The area of consideration will be referred in the following order: 1. Current permanent VA Puget Sound HCS facility employees 2. Current permanent Agency (Department of Veterans Affairs) employees 3. Current/former/future VA HPT graduates NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties include but are not limited to:

• Work autonomously and collaboratively providing direct patient care, using approved scope of practice, in an ambulatory care setting.
• Perform basic physical assessments to obtain objective information needed to assess the safety and efficacy of the Veteran's medications along with their disease state.
• Order laboratory testing based on clinical assessment and recommended medication therapy safety and efficacy monitoring parameters.
• Design, implement, modify, and document patient specific pharmaceutical care plans based on information obtained.
• Initiate, modify, and discontinue medications as appropriate to achieve patient specific therapeutic outcomes.
• Communicate the pharmaceutical care plan to the Veteran, their family and/or caregiver.
• Communicate significant findings with other health care providers to ensure continuity of care.
• Perform an in depth, patient-specific medication reconciliation to maximize safe and effective treatment, reduce polypharmacy, and improve patient outcomes.
• Educate Veterans on changes made to their medications and provide Veterans with an updated medication list.
• Participate in the Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting program and reports medication errors to promote Veteran safety.
• Provide timely and in-depth reviews of non-formulary drug requests.
• Work with providers and pharmacy staff to enhance and maintain adherence to formulary.
• Communicate, adjudicate, and complete formulary changes, drug safety alerts, drug shortages, and drug conversion plans made by the VHA Pharmacy Benefits Management, Pharmacy Nutrition, Therapeutics Committee, Pharmacy Clinical Service Line, and the VAPS Formulary manager.
• Provide dosing recommendations including pharmacokinetic dosing based on age, renal or hepatic dosing, usual recommended starting doses, titrations, and maximum dosing and equianalgesic narcotic dosing.
• Work collaboratively with all VA staff to optimize patient-specific therapeutic outcomes.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0800-1630
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)
• English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• Education.
  • Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60602-5109; phone: (312) 664-3575, or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.)
  • Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT).
• Licensure. Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia. The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure. A pharmacist who has, or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, GS-13.

• Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
  • Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
  • Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
  • Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
  • Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters

Preferred Experience: Completion of a PGY-2 Ambulatory Care Residency preferred. Completion of PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency and/or at least three years of direct patient care experience as a Clinical Pharmacist Specialist with a scope of practice in Primary Care/PACT.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 pounds and over); Moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds); Light lifting (under 15 pounds); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Standing; Repeated bending; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16"to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Mental & Emotional Stability. Environment Factors: Constant noise; Dust; Extensive Keyboard/mouse use; Working closely with others; Working alone; Protracted or irregular hours of work.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.